MultiCare Covington Clinic Controls Upgrade and Custom PSE Incentive
In 2020, the MultiCare Covington Clinic issued a request for a proposal for an HVAC controls upgrade and replacement of their aging and inefficient existing building automation system. ATS successfully won the bid and was contracted to perform the controls equipment upgrade and replacement. ATS could have successfully completed a like-for-like control system replacement, having the system utilize the same operational sequences, setpoints, and functions. Instead, ATS felt there was an opportunity to do more for the customer and make a real difference in energy and operational efficiency at the Clinic.
HVAC Controls Incentive
To make the controls upgrade have a more significant impact on the Clinic, the initial scope needed to be increased to include ASHRAE Guideline 36 highefficiency sequences, balancing, and ASHRAE 62.1 zone ventilation calculations. To pay for the additional scope, ATS proposed utilizing Puget Sound Energy’s (PSE) Major HVAC Controls Incentive Program. Using the incentive program added additional reporting, functional testing, training, and measurement and verification tasks to the project but also provided the potential for additional incentive funds to enact energy efficiency measures that would make an impact on the bottom line at the Clinic. MultiCare signed off on the change order for additional efficiency measures, and ATS managed the PSE incentive program for the project’s duration.
Half of the Upgrade Paid for with Incentives
For the additional scope of work, the ATS Controls Team worked hand in hand with ATS Energy Services to not only replace the physical aging controls hardware but also to develop and deploy modern high-efficiency sequences and programming. The HVAC system was rebalanced as part of the project, and outside air flow (OSA) measuring stations were installed to guarantee the Clinic is ventilated to ASHRAE standards. In addition to enhanced sequences, ATS Energy Engineers spent considerable time scheduling zones and equipment for the facility and determining zone airflow setpoints using ventilation calculations, ensuring energy was used only when needed. The PSE incentive program provides a base incentive that awards kWh/Therm reduction, paying out up to 35% of the project cost, and a performance incentive that rewards whole building savings over 6% for the first year of operation. As a result of the energy efficiency work that was performed, MultiCare received a base incentive of $61,344 and an additional performance incentive of $211,924
